limited sailing experience, just aquired a hobie 16. I want to get it on the water in the next week or 2. Being a novice, should I just use the main sail(no jib) at first just to get the hang of it, or am i overthinking it. I will be flying solo at first, until i feel confident enough to take my son out on it. Also i don't have a wet suit, if I take it easy, and the wind isn't too bad, i think I will stay dry. The water is still pretty cold here in Indiana, should i wait or go for it. thanks.

Congrats on the boat, you'll have to post some pics of it when you get it sailing. I'd use both sails, you'll go faster/actually be able to tack. Going out or not is your call. Test the water first. See if you would want to go swimming in the water, if you wouldn't want to, you should get some cold weather gear or wait for warmer water. Good luck.

If the water is cold you should get a wet suit. ALSO, you need to know how to SELF rescue. If you can not right the boat by yourself from a turtled position (solo: usually with a righting aid), then you should NOT be soloing. I've soloed for many years on a H16 and a H17 and have capsized many, many times. In all but one case I was able to self rescue and in that one case a windsurfer friend was out there to give me a hand. It was blowing 25+ with 5 ft waves and I couldn't stay balanced on the turtled leward hull long enough to get the boat unturtled. Her added weight did the trick. That being said, you should not count on help from others while out soloing.

Plan on going in the water. If you don't, then you're ahead of the game. You want at least a wet suit bottom, PDF, and a water-proof container for your cell phone. Baby Bob, no matter how stupid it looks, is wonderfully reassuring when you capsize by yourself until you feel ready to lose your training wheels.

How big is the lake you're sailing on? First time I capsized, I ended up drifting it to shore before I could get it up. My lake is small enough so that didn't take all afternoon.

Jib or no jib is an interesting question. My first sail on a 16 was without a jib. That took a (censored) that doesn't like to tack, and made it damn near impossible to tack. Second sail was with the jib, which made the tacking better, but boy, is there a lot to do every time you tack. Take your pick of torture.

Adjust your travelers for both the jib and mainsail all the way out at first. Yes, you won't be sailing very efficiently. But you'll reduce your likelihood of capsizing.

Be ready for the size, acceleration, and power. I don't know your sailing experience, but going from a mono-hull to a cat is very different. You've got a big boat on steroids, and you'll find that out sooner or later. And usually just where you don't want it to.

You guys are awesome. Really good advice, I looked into hypothermia, and it happens to quick. I ordered a dry suit of eBay last night. I didn't expect that expense, so if my wife intercepts that package and sees what I paid, I will look her square in the eyes and say "do you know how much it cost to bury someone these days". In actuality it will extend our sailing season, and that is priceless. I ordered a baby bob and will install before I go out. Cedar lake is a small lake with houses all around, if I get in trouble I will be glad I have a wet suit, and I won't be stuck all day. I have seen a number of righting videos and I think I understand the dynamics and using the wind. I am considering a righting bag. Any feedbag would help. Even with a bag, I think I would first try the wind and slow leverage first, just to see if I could. This is a huge step up boat, our sailing experience is 3 years of sailing a puddle duck racer. It is the easiest boat to build, and the easiest boat to sail. Pdracer.com if you want one. 4ft by 8ft plywood boat with a 16 ft mast.lot of fun but not very fast. I might go without jib on my first sail, just to keep it simple and slow at first. Thanks again for good advice from all. I'll post pics later.

Last year I went from never being on a sailboat to single handing an 18.Pick your days go to wind mapper or similar web site to help decide.An anemometer or wind gauge is a real good idea there less than $10 on Ebay.With the gauge you start to compare days it's hard to guess wind speed when your new.When your by yourself it doesn't take much wind to move right along. Try to pick the most sail friendly place to launch this means space to leave without hitting anything and no wires above the launch ramp.

If you get a righting bucket, a 4:1 tackle with camcleat will help lift it out of the water when full (a must IMO). Also, I strap my bucket under the trampoline, so I have easy access to it when capsized.

He's got to be near Crown Point which is a far southeast suburb of Chicago. Please promise you will not even THINK about sticking that puppy in Lake Michigan until you've got a year at least under your belt. Maxinkuckee and Bass lake are other options. Freeman & Shafer maybe as well.

You might look at putting a furler on the jib. I've seen them on 16s and then you can make your decision on the water.

Another thing that will instantly improve your sailing is a wind indicator. Hobie makes one I think. Tel-O-Cat is another.

Don't be afraid of a capsize, it's a rite of passage. First, try not to jump onto your sail, and if do then don't do it feet first, and if you do then crumple your body and roll or swim off towards the stern as quickly and delicately as you can (hanging out on the sail may turtle the boat). To right a capsized 16 you'll need about 225 lbs. of weight (preferably more), good technique, and a sealed mast (if you aren't sure it's sealed you may check for leaks by dunking the mast in the lake unattached to the boat). I've turned the mast into the wind by holding onto the bow and letting the wind blow the stern. Put some knots or loops in your righting line so you have something to grip.

Learn how to tack by backwinding the jib. YouTube probably has something on how to do it.

And as you get better you'll get cockier, then the boat will punish you for the neophyte cockiness. When I was learning to sail a 16 if I didn't get bloody or bruised then I figured I didn't learn anything.

I am in Crown Point, and I'm not going on Lake Michigan until I master sailing on one hull, and that I can right the boat in good winds on a small lake. I think it will take some time. Good advice about not landing on sails. When do you know when to go swimming, I was watching some sailing videos today, and pitch pole looks like you don't have a choice, however going over sideways it looks like some just hop off, and others try to ride it out. And when you do have to bail, is there a preferred direction one should jump towards. Baby bob has arrived so I think I'll go work on it.

As you master the art of capsizing you'll know when it's beyond the point of no return. I've figured out how to stay on the high hull until the stunt is complete, then add a cherry on top with a cannon ball into the water. Watch a few more YouTube videos to get an idea of what happens during a capsize and to assuage any fear of it.

Pitchpoles, on the hand. . . They are another rite of passage which have much more drama with a lot less fun. This should help you get started:

Quote:

From the Hobie HOTLINE Vol. 2, Issue 5 (p.15)

Dr. Goephast's Medicine Bag by Chuck Patch, Ph.D. in B.S.

Ailment: Post Pitchpole Depression

Symptoms: sudden loss of boatspeed, severe dampness of skipper and crew, unnatural elevation at the rudders

Comments: Post Pitchpole Depression (PPD) will affect all sailors during their sailing careers. Even on shore, many prefer not to discuss pitchpoling. There are numerous strains of PPD. Any sailor knows there must be fifty ways to leave your Hobie. Below we examine various levels of the ailment:

Level 1. The "Santa Claus" Syndrome On a reach, in flat water, the crew notices the lee bow sinking lower in the water. Regardless how many people are aboard, suddenly everyone wants to sit in the skipper's lap.

Level 2. The "Das Boot" Syndrome This occurs sailing downwind in large chop. The bows bury into the back of a wave, and the boat slows as the hulls continue moving forward underwater. Catamarans do not make good submarines, so it is best to avoid this mode. In the performance of this maneuver, skippers have been injured, slugged by crews upset about the five gallons of ice-cold water having just went down the back of their wetsuits.

Level 3. The "Fred and Ginger" Syndrome aka the Demicell Maneuver Sailing upwind, double trapped, the leeward hull digs in gently, causing the boat to decelerate. Inertia causes the skipper and crew to dance gracefully to the bow, pulling the boat over on top of themselves.

Level 4. The "Wile E. Coyote" Syndrome Sailing singlehanded, reaching and trapped out, standing behind the rear crossbar. Bows go under, the boat comes to a halt, balanced on its nose. The skipper, now 16 feet in the air, thinks, "This ain't so bad - I'll just wait for the bows to back out and sail on." Then, the fatal error: he looks down. "Hey, there's nothin' holdin' me up here! AAAAAA!" -SPLASH!-

Level 5. The "Satellite" Syndrome Sailing downwind in heavy air, the knothead crew decides to go out on the wire. With same knothead crew standing behind the rear crossbar, the bows dig in sharply. The knothead crew is launched forward, remaining hooked in, and begins to orbit the front of the boat. The skipper, still at his post, watches helplessly as the knothead crew's weight brings the boat to a final, embarrassing halt.

Level 6. The "Friendly Skies" Syndrome Heavy air, reaching, double trapped at the end of a long day of sailing. The crew just HAS to remark, "I'm surprised we haven't pitchpoled yet." It's guaranteed within 30 seconds the bows head straight for Davy Jones. Skipper and crew, without having filed flight plans, fly away for parts unknown. After a short yet eventful journey, the pair splash down.